Latest News, Additions and Comments
M42 Filtered
Managed to get sufficient in-focus to use the DS filter. Not sure I like the image any better even though I used 60s, 120s and 180s subs instead of just 30s.
The solution to get the extra focus for the DSLR and DS filter was not obvious and involved using 2 standard camera filter stepper rings, moving the primary mirror up the tube using the collimation screws and some jiggery-pokery.
Still have that horrible green/blue colour caused by the filter that I haven’t quite been able to white-balance out yet, and there is significant coma from the telescope.
First image with new 200P
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First image using my new Skywatcher Explorer 200P. I like the results – definitely my best M42. Only problem is that I can’t achieve focus with the Canon DSLR and Deep Sky filter – not enough in-travel. Need a solution to that.
Think collimation is off and tracking is a bit loose – but apart from that not bad.
-73.7% Terminator
Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635)
Bouncing Martian Boulder
New website design with WordPress
Decided to change from my Joomla-based website as it so much more complicated to work with than WordPress. I use WordPress as a CMS rather than just blogging software. With a bit of customisation you can have a very usable content-managed website with a nice simple blog-style interface. I like it – but I’m biased as I use for quite a few of the sites I’ve developed recently.
4 Objects added to Messier list
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M31, M32 and M110 all caught on the same image of the Great Andromeda Galaxy. Still needs some more photons. Also M52, an open cluster, which has the Bubble Nebula in the same frame.
Just bought Nebulosity too which makes a difference as I wasn’t really happy with the results I was getting from DSS. From the little I’ve used Nebulosity so far – I like it!
Double Cluster
First attempt at the double cluster in Perseus – on the Deep Sky page. I love these 2 clusters – think they look better live through an eyepiece though.
Jupiter 2009-08-05
First attempt at imaging Jupiter with the Skymax 180. Better than I expected considering it was very low in the sky (about 17 degrees high).
A new M103
A new attempt at M103 using the C80ED this time. Also an interesting asterism towards the bottom-left: TR-1 – a close alignment of 4/5 stars (looks like a short straight line at this scale).
Noctilucent Clouds
An amazing display of noctilucent clouds as viewed from Edinburgh on the Other images page.
M51 Whirlpool Galaxy
First galaxy image in the Messier colletion: M51. Still a long way to go with this. The image scale is too small.
Lunar Terminator Project
The start of a new project: Terminator! Well just some images of the lunar terminator at different illuminations. Mosaics of the terminator just 2 frames wide. The terminator is after all the most interesting part of the Moon. This first is at 53%. You can see a 3000 pixel high version on the Terminator page.

I’ve only recently come back to astronomy; the last time I did any I was still using film emulsion so it’s all quite different now.









